Winter's Teaching: when the Shadows Rise Within

As winter arrives, our ancestors began to draw their energies within. Their connection to nature was much greater than most of the people who are here on earth today. And most people forget that the land, the seasons, the elements and the animals are important teachers on earth.

Winter will soon be upon us. This brings a time to rest and reflect. Our natural circadian rhythms are beginning to wind down and slow down but external influences are pushing back on this. Yet modern-day life starts to push society into a frenzy, it advocates a need to be busy, a need to squeeze every last moment out of the day.

All the while nature is moving into stillness. Nature has drawn her energy within in order to conserve it for the spring. The animals have been gathering food and some have prepared to hibernate so they can survive the colder months. The light has been dwindling over the weeks and the dark has moved in for longer periods now. The warmth of the earth has retreated, allowing the cold to creep in slowly, ready to put everything on pause.

If we took the lead from nature to really find moments of stillness, quietness, darkness, it would enable us to pause and actually think, feel and process what usually gets ignored, pushed down and hidden. Self-reflection isn’t a bad thing even though it might bring forward some difficult emotions. Self-reflection is the key to embracing ourselves wholeheartedly, every truth even the ones that you may not like. By embracing ourselves and owning every part of ourselves, we allow ourselves to welcome more freedom and happiness.

These truths, which are considered unfavourable, are what we refer to as ‘shadows’. Exploring our shadows, egos or whatever word you want to use, is extremely important in accepting ourselves, and others’, true authentic selves.

Shadows can arise fast, without warning. Causing tension, arguments, self-loathing, resentment, judgement, shame and, well, I could go on. All fuelled by this modern way of pushing through, being the best, doing the most, doing things that you probably do not feel like doing. And do people actually get time to completely rest now?

What if we could find even five minutes, in what seems to be the busiest time of year, to get cosy, have a walk, take a bath, sit with a hot drink, in order to pause and acknowledge any feelings stirring within. If we did, we would learn that the shadows are not enemies but messengers, carrying aspects of ourselves we have not yet learned to love. When we meet them with presence, they soften. When we meet them with compassion, they speak. And what they say is often simple: let me be seen. Let me belong. Let me be loved. Let us be whole.

This is the heart’s work. The brave work. If we follow nature's lead then winter can support us to turn inward to nurture and retrieve the deeper parts of ourselves that have been forgotten and ignored. If we realised that we could hold what feels heavy and find space to be still and listen, we would find clarity and answers. This quiet season enables us to peek at our inner truth and begin to nurture it so it can grow roots strong enough to guide us when the light returns.

Wintering shows us that the cold does not come to close us down, but to open us to ourselves. And when we rise again, we rise with our shadows integrated, our hearts awakened, and our voices ready to speak with more honesty and acceptance.

With love

Emma xx